EARLHAM, Iowa — The city of Earlham will vote on an upcoming $10 million bond referendum that would fund a potential school expansion.
Improvements would include a career academy, repurposing the current tech program areas into middle school classrooms and creating a practice facility for both the boys and girls wrestling programs.
These improvements would in turn, raise property taxes by $2.70 per $1,000 of property value. Even with that proposed increase, property taxes would still be lower than living in other school districts like Perry, Woodward-Granger and Interstate-35.
"I feel good about where we are as a district, but going into a vote, you don't want to get too high or get too low," explained Earlham Community School District superintendent Steve Kaster. "It's important for us to continue to provide information to the people of our community, and those paying attention to this project."
The school's current agriculture and industrial tech programs would be relocated to the proposed career academy on the west side of town, about a mile from the school. Kaster said that would allow the elementary school to grow into a three-section building.
Another concern some people in Earlham have expressed discontent with is still having to pay an increased property tax when kids who don't live in the city come to school, due to the district's open enrollment policy.
The district will host two community meetings regarding the proposed bond referendum at the school's auditorium on Monday, and on Wednesday October 23rd.
Separate from the bond referendum, the school district hopes long term that it can build a new elementary school at a different site.